


Shall we dance?

by Angelscythe



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, White Heron Cup (Fire Emblem), dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23517772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelscythe/pseuds/Angelscythe
Summary: Why had they choosen him? How could he the champion for the White Heron Cup while he can't dance at all?!Felix never walk away from a challenge and he will perform at the White Heron Cup but no training can help him to master the art of dance...Sylvain, in contrary, is pretty gifted with dance and he agrees to be his very personnal teacher.But... isn't it dangerous to be that close to someone you love deeply?
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Shall we dance?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for the difference of style between the start and the end. I have forgotten this fic somewhere in my computer and finally think about her again and just finished it!!!!
> 
> Y'all!! Thank you for having picking up my fic and also sorry for my grammar and all, english isn't my first language and I've dislexia.
> 
> And let me tell you, while you're here, that you're awesome!! And I believe in you!!  
> Also, I know it's quite hard but stay at home as much as possible!! Wash your hands and be careful!!! Your life matter and you safe others life!!!! *blow you a kiss without virus*

Why did it have to be him?

Why had the teacher chosen _him_ amongst every other student to be the dancer at the White Heron Cup?

He wasn’t good at that dancing thing. He was a fighter, a swordsman, not a dancer!

And yet, they had chosen him.

He always took everything to heart, as long as it was around training, and that was probably the reason he was there, in the training hall. Training. Hour after hour. Dancing and dancing as soon as no one could comment, mock and prevent him to focus on the training.

The professor told him he could master his ability as swordsman thanks to the dance, which was interesting, but… when he, he tried to do what they expected of him, it looked like nothing. His teacher kept telling him everybody was cheering him when they were having the lesson to train him. And while he was dancing, following what they wanted from him, he knew he was just a mess.

Maybe they didn’t want neither to win this Cup? Maybe they wanted to ruin the celebration? In this case, that would have been an excellent idea to send him.

However…

The other students of the class, though, seemed to have a lot of hope within him. They were excited at the idea of winning. Ashe never had won anything before, Annette and Mercedes were so cheerful and Dimitri… well, he didn’t know anything about Dimitri because he had run away after the first word from the Boar. Perhaps he had said ‘congratulation’ but even this, he hadn’t cared much. Dedue was probably feeling the same and Ingrid, as well as Sylvain, just wanted to mock him.

Probably.

He kept training. What could he do except that? Sometimes he would master sword fighting, sometimes he would try again dance. Sometimes he would try to marry the movements but, in the end, he always came back to wielding sword.

Not that he wasn’t dedicated to learning or anything, he even tried magic once in a while. But, at least, sword-training looked less like a waste of time.

His sword in his hand, Felix tried to find the perfect mix. When should he start dancing, when should he start fencing. But…

“You’re too stiff,” a voice said.

Felix’s sword jumped out of his hands as he swirled toward the entry of the training room. It was already so late and this place was empty and, yet, he received a visit?

If he hadn’t recognized Sylvain’s voice, he would have turned even stiffer.

“What are you doing here?” Felix asked as the sound of the metal still echoed around.

“Watching you make a fool of yourself.”

“You know what I mean!” the young Fraldarius hissed.

“Yeah.” Sylvain walked toward him. “I noticed you were coming back later, leaving your room sooner. I thought maybe you had a secret lover! But…” He took Felix’s cheeks inside his palms, squeezing them. “Not my little Felix!”

“Let go on me!”

Felix pushed him back and looked away before he had to make a real eye contact with him…

“You’re a good swordsman, Felix. Probably the better I have ever seen. But dancing?” He let out a cackle, making Felix pout with anger. “For dancing, you need to be more sensual…”

“I will end your life,” Felix threatened, glancing at him.

Sylvain smiled. “Not with your dance, for sure!”

He walked backward, his heel pressing on the blade.

“Don’t do that, you will…”

“You need to captivate your audience. Make them shiver! Here… make me move!”

“Very well.”

His hands turned in tight balls, Felix walked toward his friend. Just a vermin at this exact moment!

Sylvain caught his fist at the moment it was thrown at him. He shook his chin, his face strangely severe… Felix never saw him that way before.

“Make me move by dancing.”

“Make you… Are you stupid?!”

“Well, yes. But that’s not the question. Come on! Dance. Dance for me!”

Felix frowned and threw his foot in Sylvain’s belly. Sylvain let out a painful sound as he bowed in two.

“I said dance,” he hiccupped.

“Stop being disgusting. I’m working, here,” Felix grumbled, retrieving his sword.

Sylvain rubbed his belly with a laugh. Maybe he deserved this one. Felix was too feral to play with him that way but… honestly, it was one of the things he loved the most so…

“Come on,” he said, straightening, if it was only possible. Sylvain walked toward him. “Take my hand and look at me in the eyes.”

“You know I can barely do one at once.”

“Then take my hand and look my feet,” Sylvain replied, offered his hand to him.

Felix groaned as he moved his hand toward him, letting him grab it.

“For the cup, you need to master the Waltz. You must always align your feet. You will have to show the lead move so you go in front, on the left, backward, with just one feet, on the right who is your starting point. And you turn.”

“Yes. They are not that incompetent, they told me about it.”

“And yet… “

“I was trying others move!” Felix groaned.

“Will you?”

“Yes!”

“You look a bit angry!” Sylvain mocked. He pinched his cheek. “But it’s you so I think it’s just that you like me a lot.”

“I want to obliterate you,” Felix warned.

“So much love just for me!” Sylvain smiled. He retrieved his serious in one second. Which almost frightened Felix in front of such a change. “Let’s do it.”

Felix watched him as his friend started to hum a waltz. He knew Sylvain since so long and yet he didn’t know the sound of his humming was so… refreshing?

He didn’t move at all.

Though the sound could have brought him to this natural behavior…

“Felix? Forward?”

“Yes. I know!” Felix groaned. “Your hands are not correctly placed!” he quickly lied.

“Uh… ‘kay.” Sylvain moved his hands slightly. “Is that better?”

“Yes.”

Felix started to move.

Sylvain was still humming and so his childhood friend was really focusing on the move. Forward, left, backward but just one foot, right, forward, left…

For a moment, there was just the movements, the hum.

Nothing else.

Sylvain willingly following his cadence, his moves, humming. Felix did his best for the dance and not to throw look at him.

“Very well,” Sylvain said. “You really are too stiff,” he announced.

“I do what they have showed us. It is just a useless competition. Once the Cup past, everybody will forget about this.”

“A dancer is a fighter with numerous skills. Luring the enemy, trapping his heart to stab it more easily.”

“Ugh, strategy and tactics, right? Ingrid always tries to annoy me with this!”

“Hm… a bit?” Sylvain replied. “But the kind of strategy and tactic you may like. You don’t have much to do once it’s within you. Look! Turn around.”

Sylvain removed one hand, taking the second one to make him swirl since Felix seemed reluctant. He approached a little and Felix froze when he felt the hot breath against his nape. He felt the embrace of his muscled arms and the sound of his beating heart was hammering in his back, spreading in his whole body. Making beat his own heart so fast…

“Sylvain…”

In such a case, Sylvain could have done a joke about him being too horny but… he heard the panic in his voice.

“Yes?”

“You’re too close…”

“Too close? Okay… Tell me when it’s fine.”

In fact, Felix wanted him to go on the other side of the room. He always had been uneasy with contact and people being too close. Having to watch them in the eyes… people were making him feel so bad, uneasy. People were a disturbance more than anything. But with Sylvain… usually it was fine. He could remember when he hugged him when they were kids. Why his embrace was so frightening suddenly? Why the smell of his perfume was making him loose sense with reality?

“It’s okay there…”

“Right. I will put my hand on your hip n… What are you doing?”

Felix had raised his arms.

What he was doing?

He didn’t know… panicking, probably.

“I wait for you to put your hand on my hip.”

“Yeah… You don’t need to do that,” Sylvain laughed softly. “Just held out the right hand and… do what you want with the left one but don’t do… that,” he smirked.

Felix tried to calm himself in every way but it really was peculiar for him. He moved away his hand, which twitched as the fingers brushed his. He looked down at the hand touching his hip and his own hand came down, laying over it.

“Oh?” Sylvain said.

“Wasn’t it what I was supposed to do?!”

“Don’t get angry, Felix!” he let out with a little laugh. “Come on, that’s good if you feel it that way.”

Felix groaned, his hand twitching over his.

“Now, just move. As you feel it.”

The young Fraldarius inspired deeply and moved as they have taught him to do. Sylvain followed his movements as he hummed. Him humming that way was enthralling and Felix tried to stay focus on the move, trying to send in his thoughts in a black hole he created just for this.

“Okay, don’t resist when I guide you,” Sylvain said.

“Do you know it’s _not_ reassuring to hear you say such a thing?”

“Felix! You trust me, no?” he said, still following the rhythm.

“No. Why?”

“I will never hurt you,” Sylvain swore.

He had a sincerity Felix never thought he would hear coming from his friend. From his best friend though he wouldn’t tell him that… And something in his heart told him, perhaps it wasn’t just because he was always hiding himself in a shell he didn’t want to say that out loud. But he didn’t understand why something was ringing in his brains, why the breath coming in his hairs was making him feel weird, why the fingers entwined with him were a delight… Why he was okay to follow his movements, swaying with him.

He should just push him away.

And yet…

Yet he was hearing how his heart was beating. Yes, he was feeling the strength of his muscles.

Why?

Why?!

Why!

If only he could…

No!

No! Felix pushed away the though. Pushed away Sylvain.

“Alright, I understand,” he said.

“You sure? You’re still…”

“I’m good for today,” Felix replied.

“You’re good?” Sylvain laughed. “It’s rare to see you stopping training! But, as you wish! Do you want me tomorrow or…”

“Of course. Now leave my sight!”

Sylvain tilted his head on the side but kept smiling softly.

“Sure! Bye bye, Felix! Take care of yourself and don’t train too much or I will have to come back.”

Felix stared him.

Did he want him to come back or did he prefer his solitude?

Usually… it would be the solitude but, in fact? In fact, he always liked when Sylvain was around him. But he needed time. He needed time because his thoughts were so confuse. Delightful and chaotic at once.

He could just dance, trying to be better and suppress those thoughts. But how could he… be less stiff?

He was sure he heard the laugh of Sylvain before this one disappeared, not wanting to impose his presence if Felix had asked for something else.

And yet… it was as if the young Fraldarius could still feel his arms around him.

A delight.

A chaos.

“Sylvaiiiiiin!”

The melodic voice came to Sylvain’s ear as he was joyfully chatting with Ingrid who wasn’t joyfully suffering this. She loved him but she wanted to grab his head and plunge it in his bowl of soup so he would stop talking. She loved him, really but please, could he stop talking about Miss Manuela ‘very feminine’ beauty?

“Sylvaiiiiin!”

“Yes, yes, I’m here!”

He got up and moved quickly his hand to show where he was.

But his position was known since they were coming to him.

“Sylvain! Can you help me today?”

“Ah, Hilda! What a pleasure! Please, take him away from me!” Ingrid begged.

“But why? Sylvain is such a lovely boy!” she smiled.

“You think?”

“Yes! He always compliments me and he is so soft and caring!” Hilda smiled.

She pressed a kiss on his cheek, making him smile. His arm came around her waist delicately.

“See! Hilda is a true lady and she can see I’m a good boy!”

“My idea is that you want to…”

Hilda tilted her head on the side, smiling. Sylvain shook his head quickly.

“… please Lady Goneril and so, you’re a sweetheart. But don’t get you wrong, Hilda. He can be a real dumbass!”

“Maybe I like my men dumbs!” she smiled.

“So you will be happy!” Ingrid smiled back.

“You’re breaking my heart, Ingrid!”

“Poor Sylvain!” Hilda said.

“Ah…” Ingrid replied with a sigh. “You two would be a lovely couple!”

“I don’t know if it’s a compliment or not with you,” Sylvain smiled.

“We are lovely,” Hilda continued in a happy tone.

“We do!”

“Sylvain!”

As he heard the voice, the man turned his head toward it. He smiled to Felix who walked toward them.

“Yes?”

“Can you come train with me?”

“Me?”

“Him?” Ingrid hiccupped.

“I knew Sylvain could mistake his own name, but you, Ingrid?”

She smiled at this reply. Sometimes, she really wanted to take one of her best friend to hit the other with him.

“You can go if you want to?” Hilda said. “But you won’t forgive me, right?”

“I won’t, my dear Lady.” Sylvain leaned in to kiss her knuckles. “I come back as soon as I’m done with Felix.”

“Count hours,” Felix said.

“I will take care of you even if it’s on the middle of the night,” Sylvain swore to Hilda.

“Thank you!”

Sylvain paced backward, letting go on her. He offered his arm to Felix but this one, of course, refused it. He walked to the exit. Sylvain almost ran to join him and he smiled to him when he arrived next to him.

“How can I help you? You want to see how to wield a Lance?” he asked with a wink.

“I really want to hit you,” Felix said. “And I need your help for dance… The training room is busy so we can use your room. Or mine, as you prefer.”

“Mine, if you’re okay? So we won’t violate your Holy Room with something you might hate!”

“Fine,” Felix replied. “I need you to see my progress and what I’m doing wrong. I ask you to be merciless.”

“I will be! You will beg for my mercy!”

“I don’t beg,” Felix replied.

“Of course not,” Sylvain approved.

He was smiling. Of course he was. He was always smiling when he was by Felix’s side. From this, they walked in silent until they arrived to Sylvain’s room. And there, the man just sat on his mattress, pressing his hands on the blanket as Felix was closing the door.

He came on the middle of the room and took the correct position before waltzing.

Sylvain looked at him.

Felix wanted to ask how it looked but he held it back. Doing it would just remind him his youth, when he awaited his brother and father’s approval.

He hated awaiting this from Sylvain.

He was just his best friend!

He couldn’t wait his approval like a puppy!!!

“Hm… You hadn’t made a lot of progress,” Sylvain said. “I’m not sure you managed to made progress at all.”

“I did what you showed.”

“I think you didn’t feel it. You need to _feel_ dance.”

As he uttered those words, Sylvain got up. He came to him and slid his hand to his waist.

“You’re good if I show you the lead?” he asked.

“I’m good,” Felix replied, taking his hand, sliding the other on his shoulder.

“Very well. Follow my lead and let yourself go to the music.”

Felix nodded.

He couldn’t look at Sylvain and just watched the feet as the hum started. That hum… that soft hum. He closed his eyes a few seconds, letting the young man lead. He let himself swirl to the hum, to the feeling. He just let Sylvain dominate this dance, loving this hand in the hook of his back…

He felt his breath in his neck, caressing softly his ear.

“Yep, here, you’re feeling it.”

Felix opened his eyes. He glanced up at him. Sylvain had started to hum again and just enjoying the dance was delightful.

For a second, just one, he watched him in the eyes… and he swore his heart had stopped to beat.

Sylvain moved slightly toward him. His forehead brushed his and he smiled as Felix looked away. The young Fraldarius felt his heart beating again and faster. Why was it so delightful? Why did he want to keep dancing with him for hours? As he swirled in the room, the time seemed to have stopped. The World didn’t matter anymore…

If only it lasted forever…

Sylvain’s lips approached his.

“So… Hilda is a nice girl.”

“Yes. She is lovely,” Sylvain replied. “I’m glad I met her. I love Ingrid but it’s nice to see a real Lady… who doesn’t try to hit me as soon as I say something!”

Felix nodded.

“Step away, I want you to look if it’s better.”

“Already? You are really confident!” Sylvain laughed. “Not that I’m surprised, knowing you.”

Felix nodded again.

He just needed to put distance between them.

He didn’t understand the feeling within him… In one hand, he really wanted to feel his hands on him, hear the soft hum forever and in the other hand, he wanted to put so much distance between them because he was absolutely scared…

His hands were made to wield swords. Both at time if needed! Very useless, until it become useful! But they certainly weren’t made to hold a hand, to caress gently… His hands weren’t the same as Sylvain, so big, warm and supportive…

He wasn’t like him…

He couldn’t do that.

But… he really wanted it, though…

Felix tried to empty his head, swirling that waltz he was supposed to know now. In a few days, it would be the White Heron Cup and… well to be honest, he started to want to lose it and all of this would be forgotten.

Really?

Could he… forget all of this?

Feeling it…

He needed to feel it.

He closed his eyes.

Felix bit his lower lip to prevent a hiccup and he had to open his eyes again. Sylvain hadn’t approached him. He was still on the bed, watching him. But when he closed his eyes… He could feel him…

He preferred opening them again.

Sylvain had a little mocking smile… or was it tender? It was hard to know for Felix because he really had the feeling his best friend was just making fun of him.

“Can you help me? I can’t find the correct tone,” he said, annoyed to fail again.

“Yeah, sure!” Sylvain replied.

The hum started again and Felix felt a bit more relaxed… Not that would truly change anything for him. He was making the movements but, after a few time, he totally knew what Sylvain would say before he would even say it:

“You’re too stiff.”

“I know.”

“What is wrong? You got it.”

“It’s easy when you help! I have to do all the work myself there,” Felix replied, annoyed.

“Yeah, you have. But don’t worry! I know the struggle. I was like you at some point,” Sylvain swore.

“I didn’t know you were dancing… You should have been the one doing it.”

“Eh, don’t get me wrong, I would love to get pretty ladies with my skill but I don’t need to win the White Heron Cup for that. I prefer having my time at the Ball!”

Felix closed his eyes.

The Ball…

“You’re doing great, Fe’. But you should sway a bit more your hips.”

“Very well.”

Felix tried to control himself. Not asking him to come and show him. Not asking him to stay longer than necessarily neither. But this was hard… One of the most complicated things he had done lately. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He wanted to ask him to let him stay. All night long. To dawn… He didn’t want him to go see Hilda…

He didn’t know why.

He had seen so many women threw their arms around his neck, he had seen him kiss so many of them and he had just been bored. But now… there was something in his guts.

Perhaps because Hilda was different?

Hilda didn’t need a Crest baby. So if Hilda was hitting on him…

He got a hiccup and stopped moving.

Sylvain immediately got up and came to him, concern and worry eating his face. “You fine? How much have you trained today yet?”

“I’m fine. Let’s train more. Help me training every day, please.”

“No,” Sylvain said.

Felix glanced at him. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to do too much. You have to rest your body. Have you eaten today?”

“If you don’t help me, I will do it myself, it’s fine,” Felix groaned.

“Have you eaten today?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Okay. I’m going to grab something for you and if you eat, I will help you more.”

“Is this blackmailing?”

“No,” Sylvain said, taking his face in his hands. “It’s caring, Fe’. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss on his forehead.

Felix hated his heart so happily hammering in his chest.

“Don’t use your stupid court on me. Reserve it for those who would accept to lay with you!”

“That means you don’t want? Crap! I thought I had my chances with you!” Sylvain teased. “I’m coming back,” he said.

And he pressed thousands of kisses on his face, until Felix forced him away, pushing him hard.

Sylvain kept smiling as he left the place.

Felix looked down, glancing at the bed. He wanted to feel his embrace, he really wanted it… what was happening to him? How could he think about _that_ in the hope of being hold by him a bit more?!

Perhaps he was truly hungry…

On the other side of the door, Sylvain let out a sigh. His skull pressed on the door, his fist rolling around the knob. His heart being a mess. The smell of Felix, the taste of his skin, his voice… why Felix, out of sudden, wanted so much to train with him? He had been blessed by the fact his friend believed he was useless and would never be able to teach him anything, so he wouldn’t have to stay too long just with him.

But there…

And in his room?!

Not talking about the dance, having him grip at him, swaying so softly…

The most important promise in his life was the one he made to Felix, of course, and he would never forget it. Especially because it was what made him live but there was another promise… one he made to himself. He would never try to have more with Felix. He was too afraid to destroy their friendship with those feelings…

He couldn’t allow them…

Felix had to stay a fantasy. A distant dream. He should be happy to see him smile, rarely but still, talk… He should just be blessed when he let him lay his head on his thighs while they were studying.

For years, it had been easy to push away his feelings because they saw each other once in a while, because it was through letters he could rewrite when his hand slipped. But Garreg Mach had made this really awful… He loved seeing him so often. He hated…

Why he had been so worry for him and why he had approached him.

He had doomed himself…

But…

Felix…

Holding Felix in his arms, feeling his hand in his hand…

Why Sothis was torturing him?

What should he do now? Pursue this until the White Heron Cup and then, it would be over? Just memories for his suffering heart? Run away, pretend Hilda needed him and just have Felix hating him? He had such a reputation, that wouldn’t surprise his friend he made a pretty girl pass first… But he didn’t care about Hilda…

Wait, no.

He cared a lot about Hilda.

But she wasn’t more important than Felix.

She wasn’t the one he wanted to hold…

And why he had been stupid enough to offer to come in _his_ room?! He couldn’t fly away from his own room!

But Felix’s room, so full of his smell and presence…

He wanted to touch him. He needed to touch him. He wished he could kiss him, for real… he never ever let his lips approaching his because if he did, just one fragment of second…

Sylvain rubbed his face, tired, and moved away.

“Sothis…” he whispered. “Please… do something. Help me…”

Days passed.

Felix was doing his best, to resist to the feelings that grew into him or the feelings he finally discovered after so many years, and also to become a better dancer. Sylvain said he was doing progress but Felix couldn’t feel them. When Sylvain was touching him, it was great, but as soon as he was left alone… it was just so chaotic, he was so stiff.

Days passed.

Sylvain didn’t know if he was glad or not that all of this was about to be over. He still wanted to pass time with him, he wanted to be allowed to touch him without anyone believing it was weird and starting to question his feelings but… having Felix away from him was the best. He had almost kissed him too often… He needed him so much.

Days passed.

It was the evening of the White Heron Cup. Everybody was already ready, either with their uniform of the school or with very beautiful outfit. Dorothea and Hilda were two treasures for the eyes, having thrown their net with the delicate sewing of their dresses. Dorothea had put every money she had in this and she really hoped she would leave this ball with a future husband. Hilda just wanted to be pretty and perhaps have more people ready to give her everything she wanted.

Ingrid was pretty too. She didn’t want it, preferring the buffet and not caring if she would stain herself or not, but Dorothea, Mercedes and Annette had pushed her to… Bernadetta was hiding somewhere in her school uniform and Ferdinand tried to make her come outside… Edelgard, as much as Dimitri and Claude would have certainly loved wear the traditional outfit of their lands, especially Claude, but they had to wear the school uniform. In their quality of leader.

Raphael had tried to wear a beautiful tuxedo but it was ripped open over his chest. Ignatz had painted his pectorals in white so people would believe he hadn’t the deepest cleavage of the evening but as soon as he moved, it was obvious he wasn’t wearing a closed shirt.

Petra, in contrary, was showing off with the most beautiful outfit coming from Brigid and while she had tried to convince Dedue to do the same, he had refused. She found that extremely sad and decided she would be proud for every people who didn’t dare to.

It was her mission!

But for now… it was expected from everybody to assist at the cup.

Felix had no idea about who would be against him today. He had focused on training and only that.

To be honest, Ingrid had told him more than once he should have learn who would be against him so he could act in consequence but it was all again strategy and he was very bad at this…

When the moment came, Felix just walked through the dancefloor, annoyed, irritated. Here we go, he would make ridicule himself in front of his whole class. He hoped they would be happy…

He heard applause and glanced at the sound. Mercedes and Annette were cheering so much for him. Ingrid moved her hand to him and even Sylvain raised his thumbs at him. Felix glanced away and stopped next to Lysithea that had been chosen for the Golden Deer. She seemed to be very sure of herself and Claude, as well as Raphael, were cheering for her so much, that made her smile only more. As for the Black Eagle, they would have to fight against… Edelgard herself. She seemed to take this mission very seriously. And she kept smiling to Lysithea. It was better than Ferdinand’s cheering, who still tried to make Bernadetta step outside of her hided place or the cold and dark glare Hubert was giving to everybody. And… well, Ferdinand’s cheering weren’t exactly what you could call a cheering.

They had to pass one after the other.

Logically and, thank to the gallantry, which Felix didn’t approve, the young ladies started. Lysithea first. She was tiny but she had a lot of energy and she was used to soft gesture because of the magic. Magic that allowed her to look… quite enthralling. And Edelgard wouldn’t say otherwise! It almost looked like she had received a confusion spell… smiling softly as her eyes couldn’t move away from her dance.

In such a way that, when it was her turn, she needed a bit of time to remember what she actually had to do…

Felix glanced at her when she started but then, his eyes moved toward Sylvain. He did notice the tender smile of Lysithea who looked at Edelgard but he only could see the redhead who talked with Dimitri.

He didn’t care…

For sure, Felix didn’t care more so… could he blame him? In fact, shouldn’t he be happy to see Sylvain’s eyes away from those girls?

He was.

And yet… he didn’t feel it. Why?

He watched Edelgard who ended her dance with a graceful movement. The crowd seemed to be very positive and Lysithea herself bowed in front of the Princess of the Empire.

“It’s your turn, Sir,” Aloïs said to Felix.

The young man nodded. He had done his best but he couldn’t do much. It wasn’t for him… He would leave the competition to the two ladies.

And yet… he started to move. He couldn’t just give up.

As he waltzed, his eyes searched Sylvain and… it was Hilda? Hilda just had put his hand on his shoulder, he turned his head toward her and smiled.

He tripped and fell on the floor in a dull sound, calling the silence.

“Are you okay?” Aloïs asked, coming to him and helping him to get up.

Felix pushed him away. “I’m fine. A bit dizzy, I suppose,” he replied. “Can I start over?”

“Well, the rules…” Aloïs started.

“Excuse me,” Edelgard said. “I don’t see any problems for him to start again. We all are a bit stressed to dance like that in front of the other, after all,” she smiled.

“I’m fine too,” Lysisthea approved.

“Well… In this case, please, Felix.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

He glanced at Sylvain. Hilda still had her hand on his shoulder but he was watching there. For now.

Making him move with his dance…

Felix started to move and passed his hands in his hairs, undoing them. In a swift movement, he swirled and they danced with him. He closed his eyes as he found the waltz position. His eyes closed, he could feel the hands leading his dance, the hands relaxing his body… It was just a ghost feeling and yet, it was as if Sylvain was with him. He could hear his voice at his ear, he could smell his perfume. He wasn’t alone…

And he prayed.

‘Look at me, look at me, look at me.’

It was all for him.

Just for him…

If he watched him, if he appreciated the dance, it wouldn’t be vain.

If he could have Sylvain’s attention for just one tiny minute…

Applauses echoed in the room, making him open his eyes.

“Very well, very well,” Aloïs said, laughing.

Felix watched toward Sylvain. He was away from Hilda… But he had Ingrid’s hand around the arm now…

He wanted to hit him.

He was barely listening as the results were falling. He didn’t care. As long as Sylvain…

Applauses echoes again. Felix felt hands around his. He looked up at Aloïs with anger.

“What?” he said.

“You won!” Lysithea laughed.

“I won…?” he repeated. “That’s non-sen…”

“Come with us, you have to try your outfit!” Aloïs happily said.

“Wait,” Felix protested.

But he was already tugged after the big soldier. He moved his eyes to the crowd, searching after Sylvain. He didn’t want to let him with Hilda. He didn’t want to let him with all those pretty girls. Will he lose any chance?!

Sylvain…

It was cold.

You could hear the music all around.

Perhaps, it was better to be outside in a dancer outfit? He didn’t want to show it to the others. He knew he was supposed to wear it in the battlefield after that but he knew he could pretend he thought that didn’t fit or anything and would never again… the short uncovering his thighs was pretty good to move but all those veils. They were annoying! Nothing more!

And they gave him so many dances to learn about…

He couldn’t learn more dance!

Or could he?

He would ask Sylvain and…

He shook his head, his hair still undone floating softly in the wind. He hadn’t found back his tie.

He was ridicule and stupid. He just had wanted to get Sylvain’s attention…

Ridiculing himself for a man. What a mess.

But at least, he was outside, with the sound of the horses, away from the celebration. It was better like that, honestly.

The hooves of the horses were loud, he hadn’t noticed he was next to the stables. But, well… Horses didn’t laugh at you, at least? It was better than nothing…

“Eh, beautiful… I think I might have lost myself?”

Felix turned, in rage.

“But I wouldn’t be surprised, such an enthralling view… How can’t I lose myself?”

“Sylvain! I will kill you! Those stupidities really work?!”

“They do!”

Felix pouted, folding his arms, and looked at his friend who was wearing armor. He knew it because it was the official of Sreng, the one that belonged to the Sylvain’s family since so long… It was an honor to wear it, especially knowing that his mother was from the Nobility of Sreng. Princess they said. She used to wear this same armor…

“Why are you wearing that?”

“Petra said we should be proud of what we are, and she is right. I will come back there showing I’m coming from Sreng and I’m proud of it too!”

His passion from Sreng wasn’t just willing to stop the War between two countries. It was his roots. But he could never show it because he was afraid of the look from others. But Petra was wearing her name and her nationality with such a pride… How could you not feel like a traitor to your own blood when hiding it?

“You can’t go there with a horse. Why have you…”

Sylvain held out his hand to him.

“Because there is something I want to do first.”

Felix approached him with a frown.

“Come with me?” Sylvain smiled.

In the moonlight, his hair was like a flame. It was hard to resist to that…

Felix approached him. His fingers slid on his palm. Sylvain lifted him with his hand only, making him sat on his thighs. He smiled tenderly, watching him.

“You were beautiful while dancing. I couldn’t stop myself… I moved toward you,” he confessed.

“So… I can dance?” Felix smirked.

“Yes. You were mesmerizing.” Sylvain glanced at the path. “You are well installed?”

“Yes, why?”

Sylvain made turn the horse and, with his heel, asked him to go faster, right toward the church. Felix passed his arms around his shoulders by instinct.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a move,” he replied. He closed his eyes a second. “Toward you…”

He was doing something very dangerous but on the other hand, that reaction of Felix… How not to be shocked by it? He seemed to react from nothing or… from something? Was it stupid to hope this something could be because of him?

“Toward me? What are you saying? It’s non-sense. Where are you going?!”

Sylvain wanted to tell him everything in the right place but the more Felix got tensed, the more he knew he would lose all his means.

He was mistaking himself.

He had to tell him.

Now…

He made the horse stop.

“I didn’t want to make you worry.”

“I’m not worry! You are acting weird and… very well, I am worry! For you…”

“I… Felix…”

Sylvain took the pale face in his hands.

“What?” Felix replied, looking away.

Sylvain bit his lower lip and leaned in. Felix shivered and he knew it was because of the coldness. It was the hand moving along his cheek, pushing away the hair, the breath in his ear, the perfume in his nostrils. He clung at him, helplessly, desperately.

“I love you…” Sylvain whispered.

So low.

As if he didn’t want him to hear…

Too afraid.

“What about Hilda?” Felix asked.

“Hilda? She is a friend. She likes having tuff dude to do the chores for her and I’m a tuff dude!” he said.

“Really?” Felix whispered. “I thought… you liked her…”

“As a friend, yes. Were you jealous?” Sylvain teased.

But he wanted him to reply ‘yeah’. Jealousy annoyed him because he always had to undergo that. He hated jealousy with all his core but… but he could accept it from Felix. Damn, he could accept anything from Felix!

“I wanted you to look at me, not her. I wanted you to pass time with me, not her. I wanted you to touch me… not her.”

Sylvain moved his head, caressing his cheek. He pressed a kiss on his forehead. ‘That’s jealousy,’ he could have said in a tender tone. Loving tone?

But he reserved it for words way deeper.

“I’m touching you. I’m passing time with you. I’m looking at you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss on his forehead.

“You do…” Felix looked down. “I… have dreamed you were dancing with me. Imagining you dancing with me, it was the only way to stop being so stiff.”

Sylvain looked him with even more tenderness. “I can dance with you, if you want to?”

“Yes,” Felix replied without a second of hesitation. “But…”

“Yay?”

“You will sing?”

“Sing? Yes!”

“I meant hum,” Felix flustered.

“I know how much you like song. I can sing. For you. And for you only,” he swore in his ear.

Felix blushed.

“You’re an idiot,” he said. “But that’s one of the reason I care so much for you.” He looked down. “I love you too, Sylvain…”

Sylvain couldn’t help smile. He moved away from his embrace and jumped from the horse.

“Fe’!” he said, opening his arms to him.

Felix slid in this warm welcoming embrace. Sylvain stepped backward as he lifted him and made him swirl in the air. When he put him down, Felix had his cheeks all red and a tiny smile on his lips. When he put him down, his hands automatically and normally found their place on his body, cradling him with love. He leaned at his ear and sung a soft song. It wasn’t a waltz but they didn’t need to waltz. They just needed to be together and to move slowly, on the rhythm of the most beautiful singer Felix ever have heard in his entire life…

Sylvain.


End file.
